18 August 2009

SIXTY Members of Congress to Sebelius: No Public Option, No Bill

No public option, no health care "reform". Jane Hamsher at Firedoglake reports 60 House Democrats—led by Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Barbara Lee (CA) and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (CA)—sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius last night, drawing a line in the sand and "making it crystal clear that if there is no public plan coming out of a conference bill, they won't vote for it."

The letter reads in part: "To take the public option off the table would be a grave error; passage in the House of Representatives depends upon inclusion of it. .. Any legislation that moves forward through both chambers, and into a final proposal for the President's signature, MUST contain a public option."

Comments

>>>At some point, you have to dance with the people who brought you to the party.<<<

LOLMAO

That's right. You cannot keep throwing your 'base' under the bus. The Republicans do not want this, will not support it and are standing together. Stop trying to chase the other "boys" at the party and don't forget who brought you here in the first place!

I just saw Jane Hamsher on Rachel Maddow. I'm a glad to see the progressive wing of the party become loud. She said that they have been quietly lining all their ducks in a row while the rowdy anti-reform forces were acting a fool. These progressives come from very safe districts, and they don't have to worry about losing support if the vote for the public option. All the pressure is needed to remind President Obama of his promises.

The far left are fooling themselves. If the numbers are not there in the Senate, they are not there and there is nothing Obama can do about it. When all the yelling is done, the left has nowhere else to turn. Do they perhaps want to join Sarah Palin's empty tin brigade?

The White House is letting the Republicans run roughshod all over a bill that they ultimately won't support. And you think it's wrong for Democrats to draw a line?

If the House wants a public option, thats what their right. Tell Obama and Rahm to convince senators. Better yet, what is your plan to offer insurance to unemployed black gay men down south who are HIV positive? Without a public plan, will Allstate and Aetna offer them low rates and low cost meds?

>>>When all the yelling is done, the left has nowhere else to turn.<<<

Oh but they do. These 60 Dems are saying NO. They don't have to vote for this plan, regardless if the numbers are there are not in the Senate. Obama ran on the public option campaign promise, many people want the choice and he is going to keep his promise or many people in his party are going to vote AGAINST him. Otherwise what are "we" getting?

And the irony is that you talk about progressives joining "Sarah Palin" ... OBAMA is the one trying to cut a deal with REPUBLICANS. And the REPUBLICANS say they will NOT vote for the bill REGARDLESS of what is in it. So the Democrats are going to have to start all over anyway.

These congressmen are not the "far left"....they are REPRESENTING their districts. They are doing what they were elected to do and paid to do. My congresswoman is on that list and I didn't vote her (Barbara Lee) into office to give away billions to Wall Street and insurance companies and leave working people without health insurance. What is the plan you think we should take...a tax credit? What is the "plan" without a public option?

And no offense but "AFROGAY" you have a lotta nerve. The only people concerned about Africa and gay rights are progressives. And the "far left"...The only major blog that consistently posts news on gays in Africa (incl your blog) is this Rod 2.0. Centrist Democrats and Republicans could care less about your rights, gay rights, black gays or African gays. How dare an African gay man or any black gay man come on this blog of all blogs...and criticize "progressives" for wanting health care for their communities....and saying they won't support tax breaks and giveaways.

Read what the man wrote. The same congressmen you ignorantly call the "far left" are the same ones FIGHTING for gay rights. The only ones. If Barbara Lee says its a public option or no plan, that is good enough for me.

And let me remind you...Barbara Lee stood up on the House floor and said hate crime laws needed to be passed because BLACK GAY MEN were too often victims of violence. And YOU want to criticize her. Shame shame shame.

Wow. Just wow. So now Democratic congressmen should just STFU and do whatever the 3 or 4 Republicans who will vote for this "plan" tell the president?

The 60 House Dems are drawing a line in the sand because the White House refused to. And it scared the White House so much you see that Sebelius, Gibbs and Obama are now saying 'we misspoke, we still want public option'. That's what all this activism did. The White House is scared.

As Rod said, you have to remember who brought you to the dance, lol. It was working people and Democrats. And its a damn shame the Democratic congressmen have to remind the Democratic White House.

Dalton said: "My congresswoman is on that list and I didn't vote her (Barbara Lee) into office to give away billions to Wall Street and insurance companies and leave working people without health insurance."

Thank you, Dalton! Unfortunately, this seems to be so rare — for a Congressperson to actually do what the voters put her there to do, instead of what her contributors pay her to do.

Of course, let me remind everybody that Barbara Lee was the ONLY person in the entire House of Representatives who stood up to George W. Bush after 9/11, an act for which she was rewarded with death threats. Barbara Lee is the honorable inheritor of the Congressional seat held by the equally honorable Ron Dellums.

Another cheer for Keith Ellison. He's quickly proving to be one of the best. I hope his people in Minnesota appreciate him.

If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. These 60 House Democrats stood for something and are reminding the White House their votes cannot be taken for granted. Good for them.

My representative is Yvette Clarke. She refused to vote for ENDA two years ago because it didn't cover transgenders. And she is one of the 60 who refuses to support healthcare reform unless it include public plan. She's representing the Brooklyn district once represented by Shirley Chisholm, blacks...Puerto Ricans, working class folks, progressives and gays. And doing a damn good job, too.

This sister/Sistah was the SINGLE VOICE that refused to vote for Bush's "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT BECAUSE WE ARE AT WAR/9-11" BUDGET AUTHORITY!

She is a warrior and such a powerful voice. I am astonished and so proud of her and The CBC, because it's enough of proving that he can be a Universalist. President Obama has got to STAND for something and considering he's been talking about Health Care forever, this is a battle you fight to the end and beyond!

"DANCE WITH THE ONE THAT BRUNG YOU!" indeed!!! The conversations that he had about Health Care were always where his passion erupted and now he has to stand for that or show that he will move on anything.

PUBLIC OPTION is the main reason to be fighting for Health Care in this country. When companies that made dumb and damaging choices were "bailed out," surely we heard cries of "WHERE IS THE HELP FOR THE PUBLIC?" How can we have a conversation about health care and not stand/fight/advocate/petition for The Public?

But back to the truth: I LOVE ME SOME BARBARA LEE! I am proud to be alive in the same lifetime as such a warrior woman!